Email Page
Print Page
Back
to Tip Archives
Back
to Current Tip
Joining a new organization is hard. This
is especially true for talented JMOs who leave the military
(where they had great reputations and track records) and
join new business careers (where they are new to the organization).
I must admit that I do see a lot of variability on how effectively
JMOs establish themselves in their new organizations. Some
do it really well, and others stumble until they get it
right. Many of our alumni call me to discuss suggestions
on how to effectively transition to a new business organization.
I thought I would share my advice in this month's Career
Tip.
1. Recognize that you are
starting over. Regardless of how good you were
in the military, the people in your company don't know you.
The key here is to take an external perspective on this.
In other words, see your newness from their perspective.
Yes, you have been successful in the military, but that
is not the issue here. No one is going to give you a lot
of credit for this until you prove yourself in their organization.
Think about it. You would probably look at it the same way.
This is how organizations work in the service and in the
business world.
2. The honeymoon period always
ends. Being recruited by great organizations is
flattering and fun. Once you get an offer, virtually every
conversation with your potential employer is focused on
your talent and your career options in their organization.
Many times, you get access to senior-level leaders who spend
a lot of time outlining the long-term career options for
you. However, once you are hired, it's time to go to work
and no one is going to continue to recruit you. If you don't
prepare for it, you will naturally experience a let down.
I equate this to athletics. My guess is that legendary Coach
Mike Krzyzewski from Duke does a pretty good job recruiting
talented High School athletes to Duke's basketball program.
However, once a player signs, the recruiting process is
over and the hard work starts. Recognize that this is natural
and be prepared for it.
3. Know what you don't know.
JMOs are used to being subject matter experts on
their work. When you join a new organization, no one expects
you to be an expert on everything, and you will never be
effective if you insist/pretend that you are. Get the lay
of the land for a couple of months in your new company.
Meet with subject matter experts, ask a lot of questions,
and admit when you don't know something. Ask for help and
clarification, read everything that you can get your hands
on, push yourself hard to come up to speed. Don't start
trying to teach people around you how to do their jobs until
you know how to do yours. Be careful that you don't oversimplify
problems and come to conclusions too quickly. Many people
damage their reputations because they are eager to "solve"
problems.
4. Read everything in sight.
Our Development & Preparation Program helps JMOs develop
a habit of business reading while they are still in the
service. I encourage candidates to continue this habit in
business. Find out what the senior leaders in your organization
are reading. Research your industry, join trade organizations,
study your competitors, listen to your quarterly investor's
webcast (on your company website). I always ask JMOs what
the top 5 most important issues are in their company and
I am surprised how few have an answer. Get out of your sand
box. To be a development candidate, you need to act like
one. Stay in tune with the issues at the top. I promise
you that your leadership is up at night thinking about them.
You should be, too.
5. Focus in your first couple
of months on being useful. JMOs are used to being
extremely valued and very busy (especially very successful
JMOs). It would be nice if you could continue this uninterrupted
in the business world. We would all like to think that we
are going to have wild, breakout success quickly in our
new organizations. Well, this might work in movies, but
has no basis in reality. I always tell people who join Cameron-Brooks
that it is their responsibility to find ways to be useful
in the first few months of their careers. This might mean
making copies, reviewing documents, organizing direct mails,
etc. The point is that you should focus on doing ANYTHING
that is useful to your organization regardless of how "demeaning"
the work may seem. If it needs to be done, do it with a
good attitude. In six months, you will start getting really
busy and you will get to step up into bigger and bigger
responsibilities. It just does not happen on day one. Be
ready.
6. Focus on making your company
money. In the end, companies exist to be profitable.
Keep your eye out for ways to help your company make or
save money. This is always a smart thing to do as you build
your reputation in your organization. Not everyone in your
new organization will set a good example in this, but you
should always think like a shareholder. Your boss or someone
senior in your organization who is managing the P&L will
appreciate your diligence.
7. In a perfect world, all
companies would be world-class at on-boarding new talent
into their organizations. Well, it is not a perfect
world. You will undoubtedly hit speed bumps in your first
year. You can't always control the speed bumps, but you
can control your attitude about them. Every crisis is an
opportunity for you to distinguish yourself. Take the high
road, keep a "can do" attitude, stay away from the gossip
at the water cooler. Even prior JMOs who are fairly tenured
in your organization can be BAD examples for you. The bottom
line is YOU are in control of whether each speed bump turns
into an opportunity for you to stand out in a good way or
a less-than-desirable way. Choose wisely.
8. Don't worry about career
management for your first 18 months. Many JMOs
call me with worries about where their careers are going
in their first 2 years. I often hear, "Roger, no one is
talking with me about what I am going to do next. My boss
is too busy to discuss my career plans. I can't see a defined
career path, etc." The reality is that your boss is not
going to launch a "voyage of discovery" to learn about you
or your career dreams. Nor is your boss going to spend a
lot of time mapping out your career. In your first 12-18
months, you are a tool (and an expensive tool at that).
Spend virtually all your time developing your track record
of accomplishments, building your reputation as a producer,
establishing relationships with people around you, making
your company money, becoming competent, etc. Don't worry
or spend a lot of time trying to define your career moves
(it will only frustrate you). Career management will become
much clearer at about the 24- to 30-month point in your
new organization when you are a more known quantity. The
cream always rises, superstars get recognized, and developmental
careers take off.
9. Get a mentor.
Again, in a perfect world, every company would assign a
new development candidate a senior mentor. Regardless of
whether your company does it, you should seek out someone
at a high level who can offer you guidance, etc. This person
will not come flying through the window. You need to get
out of your comfort zone and go and find one. Don't wait
for it to be done for you. As long as you keep a small footprint
on your mentor's time, you will be surprised how many senior
people will be willing to meet with you once a quarter or
semiannually, share big picture company strategy, improve
your understanding of your organization, and help you develop
tools to be more successful.
10. Be honest. This
is one of the most important fundamentals in growing as
a leader. You need to establish a reputation as an open
communicator, putting your cards on the table, avoiding
hidden agendas, etc. This hurts a lot of military officers
who are taught in the military that you don't go to your
boss and openly communicate the way you feel about your
job, your career, etc. I hear military officers say to me
that they are conditioned to never "snivel" about work.
Well, I am not saying that you should snivel, but you can
communicate openly with your boss (in a smart, professional
way). With time, you will get really good at these "heart-to-heart"
discussions. The point is, don't be afraid to communicate
openly on any concerns you have, things that you want to
do, etc. You'll be amazed at how many problems can be solved
with open communication, as well as how well your honesty
will be received. Now, remember, don't pick the worst day
of the month when your boss is totally under the gun to
hit him/her up for a heart-to-heart meeting. Be smart, pick
your battles carefully, and remember that, like Rome, great
careers are not built in a day.
I have been talking with many of
our very successful alumni over the last few weeks. I am
always amazed at how successful they have become, many of
them running complex and profitable businesses in their
organizations. Once a talented JMO gets over the "hump"
of starting in a new business organization, their careers
almost always take off. It takes about 3 hard years for
all development candidates to make this transition. Be patient
and smart. If you leave your organization after 2 or 3 years,
all you do is start over again facing the same challenges.
This is the way all good organizations work and the way
that all great careers are made.
Copyright 2004. Cameron-Brooks, Inc.
All rights reserved.
